It was the party of the year, it was a tradition that was known about throughout El Dorado.

Started by Mayor Caine nearly a century ago, the 'Four Families New Years Party' as it was unofficially known was the shindig that everyone wanted to be at.

Planned by the older members of the Caine, Drake, Romero, & Wayne Families the party drew large crowds from not just the local city of El Dorado but all throughout New Mexico.

This year the party was to be held at the Drake Farmstead and tradition was rigid and unchanging, sandstorm or not? The party would go on.

Much of the planning had happened thanks to the Elder Romero and Wayne family members, the younger generation just instructed to supply the booze.

Some Wagons have been setup courtesy of Lone Star Caravans, pulled by /cars/ to help get people to and from the party and the barns? They offered plenty of places to sleep it off even as the sandstorms continued outside.

Music played in one barn, food was set out in another, people were dancing. Brave young men and women headed out into the sandstorm to play 'Bullseye the Molerat' and other drunken games of sport.

Sparrow has helped to set up the Drake farm for the guests they were expecting. She'd made sure to keep it all inside the varied buildings to keep the sandstorm from becoming a massive issue for anyone. Wind breaks and frames to help people get to and from the main house and decorated barn. She's also helping get food moved from the house to the barn covered in layers to avoid any nastiness. She's dressed in new jeans and a clean shirt, not that anyone can tell because due to the sandstorm she's in her cowboy leathers and a bandana to cover her scarred face.

Games are fun. Fun to play and fun to watch others play, so that's where Fern is. Sandstorm or not, she's with several others, standing to the side to watch how the games are played and just observing for now. It won't be long before she's joining in and having fun, too! If the game is fun when sober. We'll see.

Aidan Drake has been helping move and set up so now that the party's starting he makes his way towards the barn with the music passing Sparrow he taps her on the shoulder, "Guests are arriving sis! Heading over to the music barn to check and make sure everything there's straight." He starts to head towards the music barn now his hat pulled down and his duster's collar pulled up to try and keep himself from getting destroyed by the flying dust.

Alasa seems to appear out of the sand...as she gets near one of the barns, she gives a shake to loose some of the sand. "If nothing else..this sand storm should churn things up out there." She dust herself off a bit, "now...lets find the eats." As she smells, and makes her way towards the food.

Stockton is riding in, Brandywine whickering a little as she nudges her way onto the Drake property. She knows exactly where she's going and starts ambling towards the barn. The mare pauses to greet Essjay with a headbonk while Stockton dismounts with a thud of his heavy frame into the dirt. Keeping his kerchief at hand in case the dust kicks up, his horse ambles her way into the barn to joint he other Drake horses in safety. The duster-clad Sheriff adjusts himself a little and looks around with a squint, "And I used tah make fun'a Tobi fer his goggles, now I want a pair," he grunts a little at Sparrow before sort of tagging along behind her, not really sure how to help or what to do with himself just yet.

Owl arrives with his jacket zipped up and a bandana tied across his mouth, one hand up above his brow to shield his eyes as he trudges forward out of the whipping sand. He walks into the barn, taking a momentary shield from the storm outside, and finally taking down his bandana. He looks around at the other revelers assembling, looking as if he's searching for someone.

Lurking in the back of a barn, sequestered in a shaded alcove with a hay bundle pillow and clean flooring, sleeps the immense Ashur-- a red stone blanketed in white cape, snoring even as the sounds of festivities begin in earnest. The giant has taken to staying in one of the barns on the Drake property when he's in El Dorado.. a necessary inconvenience when one has achieved sufficient mass that small hippopotamuses mistake you for one of them.

In other words, Ashur's battle with weight gain is permanently recorded in shattered bedframes and ragged bedsprings.

With a yawn, the brute rolls over, smacking a fat-fingered hand down on the floor to send up a cloud of dust. A smack of the lips, tongue hanging out like a dog, and he clambers to his feet. He scratches at his chest and wanders forward, and the ground trembles in fear. He's wrapped in a slightly-dirtied white cloak.

In wanders Kae! The tall elf-like girl makes her way inside and pauses just inside the barn. She glances up and around, her crimson eyes takin gin the place, before a smile slowly spreads... She then glances back down at the floor and then begins to mingle with folks, her white hair probably standing out like a sore thumb, but well yes, mingling is mingling, one doesn't do it to hide most of the time! Kae grins broadly and also starts hunting for where the food and drink is hidden.

A rather diminutive figure in a thick leather cloak, backpack, facewrap, and goggles half-stumbles into the farmstead, making its way to the barn. "My goodness... such horrid weather," she murmurs, shaking off the worst of the sand at the door before entering, drawing the wrap down and the goggles up to reveal Sister Tina's pretty face. "It was such a long walk, but God bless tradition. I look forward to this all year." She glances back over her shoulder at Eden approaching the little black donkey and giggles, muting it with a ladylike hand to her lips. "So cute."

Sandstorms are hell for Cleopatra McKinsey. They mess up everything. Caravans get delayed if not lost outright, patrols become both dangerous and ineffectual, and there's not a whole hell of a lot you can do about it. It's the kind of situation that makes her anxious.

And so, when she arrives at the party, it's not so much to join in the festivities - though normally she would - as to make sure those that are making their way to the Drake ranch are doing so in safety. She's wearing her militia duster and all when she trudges up toward the barns, having hitched a ride with the wagons coming in. One hand comes up to shield her eyes as they squint into the sand and sweep around the farmstead.

"Shoulda known a few hundred tons o' dirt wouldn't stop the Four Families party," Cleo says with a relieved sigh before coughing into the crook of her elbow. Better to go ahead and make her way inside, now that she's here, she decides.

Alasa claps her hands, "Alright..now this is a spread." As she makes her way to the food tables. Picking up a plate..wow, really plates.."Fancy...not metal, not paper..some kind of china...and this pattern." She studies the pattern around the edge, "Naked greek boys playing leap frog?" She shrugs a bit, as she starts to load up her plate.

Eden comes and and looks around to see whose here. Happy to see plently of friendly faces! She waves as she walks in, then pauses. Standing just inside the doorway she does the sand shake off dance that everyone seems to have quickly learned. She finishes and walks inside to the party area and sees a donkey!! Eden instantly makes a beeline to go greet the adorable thing! "oh my goodness what is your name?" She does know the donkey won't answer, but he's just so cute!

Not that Sparrow gives Stockton a chance to worry about doing things. She points him back to the house, "Go grab the tray of ribs. We're almost ready to start the dance and I want to make sure the buffets up for the wallflowers." She pats the big man's arm and ducks her head trotting back into the house to the last of the mutfruit cobbler in it's hevily protected pans and lids wrapped in scrap fabric to make sure the sand wont be on the container or risk getting into the food. Not that wastelanders aren't use to strange tastes and textures. Essjay prances along merrily in Sparrows wake like a shadow until Eden approaches and he makes a odd lieelt whoopbray at her and perks his grant bunny like ears her direction. In passing Sparrow tells Eden, "S.J. His name is S.J." She digs in her pocket and hands over a carrot piece which Essjay follows intently right to Eden which allows Sparrow to scamper leaving the LBD to cling to Eden for a while.

The crowd parts before Ashur like a river 'round a stone; he pays little attention to the gathered faces, the mess of individuality bleeding together into a grand irrelevant chasm of noise and cheer. "Mm.. Celeste mentioned a party," he rumbles to himself, pinching the swollen bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger and pulling on the corners of his eyes. "Fuck."

He thumps ahead, feet like hooves, smashing each step and making his way forward to the closed barn doors. He casts it open with a thunderous clamor, steps forth-- and all the world darkens with a choking dust and grit, demons howling in rapturous delight as they surf the pockmarked contours of the fields.

A pause.

Ashur closes the doors, spits out a mouthful of sand, and walks back in.

With his only hope for comfortable escape slaughtered, the misanthropic tyrant walks, with such profound sorrow angels surely weep at the sight, back toward the crowds. At least there's a donkey nearby.

Wind and Sand, just a lot more than normal, doesn't stop Fiona Caine from making her way home from Militia HQ. She left Courage in town because the horse had no reason to take a walk out Caine Ranch with the storm. Hat brim bent down, one doot in front of the other, no sand storm is stopping her.

However, Party at the Drakes, that is a good reason to stop. She turned at the blurry fence post, and up the way she walked till the hazy lights confirmed shin-dig on, in this weather, more booze. She heads on eye, shielding her gaze.

Taking the carrot, Eden gets close to the little guy and says "Hello SJ! I think this treat is for you." she pets his head while he eats the carrot sloppily from her hand. She doesn't care, just wipes her hands on her jumpsuit and goes back to petting the donkey. Eden has always wanted a pet. Still talking to the donkey "Do ya want to walk around with me SJ? Maybe we can find another treat for you" She straightens and sees Tina and starts heading her way to say hello, hoping that essjay will follow her.

Alasa finds an empty space on one of the walls of the barn to lean against as she starts to eat her meal. She lets her eyes drift about the room to the various people..some she knows better then others...others don't seem familiar at all. Then again, maybe its all the sand just makes people look funny.

Kae is currently working to tug her helmet free, then of course the wrap she had around her face, next her goggles. She glances around now, long tapered ears perking a bit as Ashur goes to let him self out, then the girl coughs some dust as he closes the door, having gotten a mouth full of said flying dirt... Next Kae smiles and makes a Bee-line for the buffet table, all the while CORA points out..> "Better get good food while ya can!" Kae blinks and pokes at CORA "I know..." Then CORA teases "Not gonna have that much cake this time? I think it took you a half day just to even get sleep!" Kae then blinks and shrugs "Sugar highs can be fun too!"

Drunk games can be cool and all, but when sand keeps blowing around it's time to retreat. Fern is soon heading in to the barn, and upon doing so she happens to enter the one where Ashur has been residing. She notices the man and grins wide, lifting a hand to wave at him before she asks, "So, which wife will you be kissing at midnight?" The kid puts her hands on her hips and glances about, seeing what all is going on inside.

Owl lingers in a corner rubbing sand out of his eyes and his hair, then dusting it off of his clothes, then emptying it out of his satchel...then he finally looks around again. He coughs out some sand before finally making his way away from the wall and going towards the food...only to avoid it entirely and find the closest possible source of water to wash his mouth out with.

Stockton blinks a bit at the instructions and just nods silently and turns right back around to go find the ribs. When he comes back he's got his arms full of a plate of ribs for the barn. Tromping along he dodges people for the most part to lay out the grub on the aforementioned table. A smirk comes for Fern's question of Ashur and he just keeps trucking along with food. Of course there's a rib tax, so the big man is taking one to munch on after dropping it off.

Sparrow squeezes Stock's arm and moves past to check on other people as she weaves around people heading for the mass of reddish that is Ashur these days. "Hey." She calls to him over the din of the crowds, "Hey Ashur, C'mere, come stand in this corner I need to do the last injection and document what I can real quick. I'm not coming back down here from Acme til after the sandstorm." Which means she plans on heading north after the party. Stubborn girl.

Aidan Drake whistles Cathal over to him and as the dog comes to Aidan's side and stops looking up at the man Aidan smiles a bit before he scratches Cathal's head, "Hey boy make sure nobody gets lost if they head outside. Would prefer to keep the guests alive yes?" The little black and white border collie looks up at him and then just goes back to sniffing at the guests as they get close enough to him.

Tina stifles another giggle as Eden approaches, the little black donkey trailing her closely, pausing to wince and throw up her arm as the door is opened and shut by... someone she doesn't immediately recognize. "Goodness... they grow them big around here," she murmurs, hastily turning a now slightly sheepish smile on the girl.

"Hello again, Miss Eden. It seems that a storm loses to a party every time... or at least it does to /this/ party. Three cheers for tradition," she says, with a grin. "So, who's your new friend? I regret that I don't have any treats with me. Maybe there is something at the buffet tables?" She glances at Fern as the girl enters, noting the towering man she approaches. "He looks familiar, somehow..." she murmurs faintly.

It was as if the old people here had begun to will the storm out of existence with their stern stares and almost unbelievably, the storm outside had cleared up as the eye of the storm seemed to center on El Dorado.

The howling winds and biting sands would return soon enough, but on the dawn of a new year, some measure of reprieve had been granted.

The first dancing contest, was good old line dancing, because you know, we're set in a western town and the various old folk from town who were going to judge it watched as the participants all got lined up with each other.

Anyone who was part of a local family and did not join in? Oh god, they were going to be getting repeated stinkeye from Auntie Wayne, the wizened old matriarch of the Wayne Family who pretty much everyone had to call Auntie.

Ashur's midstep when Fern hops up to him, and he turns and swivels toward her-- but such is the beastly bull's momentum that he damn near plows her, halting mere inches away from a lethal impact. He squats down, knuckles balancing him on the floor, less a mutant and more now with the aspect of some strange gorilla-- sloping browed, lips pursed, golden eyes leveled at her. "Whichever one is closest at midnight," he tells her. "If they're too far away I can't reach them."

Fern flinches when Ashur nearly kills her! She snorts at him and cocks her pursed lips to the side, brows lowering as she looks up at the man, and she hmms. "Touche.." She stares at Ashur for just a bit, nods to the man, then turns and starts a'stompin off towards food. She did smell those ribs, and they smell awesome!

Along her way as she heads over to the food, Fern spies Tina, and she starts to grin. "Tina!" she calls, hopping over towards the woman, giving a few running steps to get her closer. Is she talking to someone else? Don't care. Is she busy? Don't care. Fern just says to her, "Hey! Who's at church? Did someone else take over?"

Since Gail wasn't here it was Katherine's job to watch over Fern. In this case, Fern was going to be forced to do something that had likely been the original cause for running away from El Dorado.

"Hey Fern!" She grabs the young girl by the shoulder gently, "It's time for the line dancing contest, go take your spot or Auntie Wayne is going to keep glaring at me for letting you wander around bugging all the adults."

Patting Fern on the head, Ashur rises back to his full height. "Behave, and I'll come see you soon," he tells her, and then turns away to follow up on Sparrow's earlier call to him! A few long-legged steps and the distance is closed, the mutant tucked away in the corner as she instructed. "Okay."

Sparrow is getting the stink-eye but that seems pretty much her place n the world. Pissin off old people. Because she's too slow in stalking after Ashur, so with a roll of her eyes she moves over to lean on a wall. Holding the beams up as watches the party. Sparrow is too old for her twenty-some years and that means she abolutely does not 'have fun'. She does settle in to watch with a little smile on her face as people dance though.

"Hi Tina! Isn't he adorable! His name is SJ and he's sparrows. He seems to like me a little though." Smiling she pets his little head again. She sees Fern and waves "Are you both going to dance? Come on, we gotta dance, it's New year's Eve!"

Stockton just shakes his head and tries not to roll his eyes as SJ gets all the girls fawning over him. Yup, figures. The Sheriff gives a few folks a tip of his hat, greeting anyone he's missed while he sort of drifts over to where Sparrow's having no fun whatsoever. He chews on a cigarillo and pulls out a second to offer to her. Match lighting his he puff puffs a few times and looks around an almost smile forming, "Screw the sandstorm, party's still happenin'," he drawls.

The band begins playing an upbeat song the achy breaka as the dance begines..."Don't tell my heart, my achy breaka heart...I just don't think he'd understand...cause if you tell my heart, my achy breaky heart...he just might go and kills this man"

Tina gives EssJay a gentle scritch between the ears, snatching a carrot from the buffet table. And wincing as she passes it to him, because it was cooked and still slightly hot. "He's certainly cute. How did you wind up with him?" she asks Eden, then grins at Fern. "I hung out a sign on the door saying I was going to the annual New Year's party, that's all. I never miss this."

And then a quick wave is given to Fern as she is tugged away by Katherine. "Good luck at the dance contest... hope you win!" Eden's question is met with a shrug. "I suppose I should... I've never been much of a dancer, but maybe people will overlook that in light of the party?" she opines hopefully as she makes her way to the line.

Kae blinks a bit at th emusic being played, then tilts her head, She listens to the beat a bit, then slides out and starts well clogging to it, the balls of her feet and heels doing a good job of stamping out the beat. Kae then glances around curiously and grins trying to wave anyone over who might want to join in, not that the dance steps she's doing are difficult. Of course for those that like to watch, Kae's bouncyness kind of goes to an all new level and then the Achy Breaky begins playing... Kae tilts her head and yes she knows the dance-steps to that song, Stomp, slide swing and kick stomp and so on, seems the Elf-girl might actually have a few dance-steps stuck in that head of hers.

"Oh! Okay, well," Fern begins, but is suddenly touched! Fern feels the hand on her shoulder and she does a quick spin, hands lifting up in some sort of faux martial arts pose. She lifts her chin slightly at Kat, grins, and lowers her hands.. till she hears what she is being asked to do. Line dance? Ughhh. The kid shifts her gaze to the side and looks for the evil Auntie Wayne, and she grunts, "But that's so -horrible-. Ugh. I don't even know how!" she grumbles, hands going to fists and resting on her hips. It wouldn't be complete without a roll of her eyes.. and then a huffy, annoyed sound as she stomps her way to the dance floor and lines up. In the back. Arms crossed over her chest.

Owl manages to let himself be pulled into the line dancing though he's not actually very good at it, and he's busy spitting out sand. Still, why not have fun at a party? Even if he doesn't know the people in line next to him on either side...odds are he'll soon be introduced!

Fiona stops by Sparrow to give a greeting, "Nice party Sparrow. Thanks." The neighborly thing to do, now for some Sunset and Tequila. A glance over and she starts for the drinks. A wave is given Kate as she spots her cousin, she even starts to head towards the mayor cousin, once she has her drink.

By now, Ashur's made his way to the wall Sparrow's leaning against. The towering man folds his arms over his chest and glares down at her. There's no ill intent there, probably, he's just a glowering sort. "I'm not paying for the bulle, but if you need to shoot me to make me better, okay."

Eden hooks her arm with Tina's and gives a little tug to encourage her to come along. "I think she just needed to grab some party stuff. She should be back any minute. and as for dancing? Nobody will care, it's a party. meant to be fun, not professional! Come one, I'm not great but I will show you what I know"

The music continues to play along with the dancers.."You can tell my arms to back to the farm. You can tell my feet to hit the floor. Or you can tell my lips to tell my fingertips. They won't be reaching out for you no more"

Sparrow nods at Stockton, "It is." She's got her eyes scanning over the people. Watching Ashur in particular though she reaches over to pat Stockton's arma nd gestures off to where Essjay is soaking up attention, his little switch of a tail swishing.

Stockton blinks up at Ashur as he comes over and starts talking about bullets with Sparrow. The huge mutant gets' glowered right back at by the normally equally sized Sheriff - fucking mutants. No words, just a grit of his teeth grinding on the cigarillo. Sparrow's touch points him towards the Little Black Donkey and he smirks a bit, "Such a jackass," he mutters.

Finally making her way into the barn where most of the others seem to have gathered after her coughing spell, Cleo doffs her hat and slaps it against her thigh to get the dirt off. She finds a spot to hang her hat and duster before she makes her way further inside. "Oh, hey. Is everyone dancin' or something?" While she might know a number of the people here in passing, she naturally gravitates toward her fellow militiaman in Fiona. Or maybe she's just moving to where the alcohol is.

"Hey, Fio. Save one for me, eh?"

Looks like she's stalking the other soldier after all. "You gonna dance?"

Tina tries to keep up with the line dance, with mixed results. Clearly she hasn't done this in a while, as she can only barely keep up with Eden on the slow spots. "I'm sorry, Madame Teacher! I suppose I must have two left feet!" she cries, laughing at her own lack of rhythm. "Maybe I'll remember the next one!"

Fern is still standing there with an annoyed teenager look on her face, and when the boot scootin boogie song starts playing, well, she starts to follow along. But she must look annoyed at ALL TIMES. The kid doesn't put too much effort into it, but look at that! Some people are just good at dancing! She grunts a bit more while dancing next to Owl.

The song begins and after some boot tapping, everyone starts to grapevine to the right! Tip those cowboy hats, ya'll hicks! Everyone.. grapevine to the left! Do a twirl and tap those heels! Take some shuffling steps to the front and spin again, then take it back and YEEHAW! Kick one boot up!

"I;m not really much better over here. Just try to feel the beat and move with that, even if you forget the right movement. Just keep trying, you'll get it!" Eden really isn't much better. It's been a long time since she's danced, and it was a totally different kind of music. But a beat is a beat and dancing is fun, so she laughs and keeps dancing. As she turns around she notices Ashur is hear for the first time, but that conversation looks pretty serious. She'll go talk to him whenever that business seems to be done.

Kae is well, she's having fun, so she's getting some of the moves rong, she's a better clogger anyhooo. She grins as she sees Fern get everything right, and makes a motion to try and get the teen's attention. She then pantomimes smiling before she calls out "We're here to have fun, have fun!!!" she calls out, grinning impishly...

The joint starts jumpin' every night when she sun goes do-own! They got whiskey, women, music and smoke. It's where all the cowboys go-ohhh to boot scoot'n boogggiieeee! Ain't this fun!? Fern is grumbly, and.. is that a bit of a smile? NO. She ain't lettin no one see it. At least her arms are by her side now as she dances.

The steps shift again, twisting in boots and yeehawin' it left and right to the beat of the music. Hats come off to be moved around, cause ain't that cute? More grapevines to the left and end that with a heel tap and nod of hat towards the floor, and it's right back up headed to the right! Twirl around all fancy and push that forward into some shuffing steps forward and tip those hats again! There's lots of one-boot-up moves that can catch quite a few people off guard, but that's part of the fun, right? People may not know all the steps, but it's going to repeat itself soon enough, so maybe everyone will know it by the end of the song!

Fiona almost made it to cousin Kate, then she hears a voice, she tries to place it. A look around and then she knows. Brows raising far below the wind bent brim. Oh. Fiona reaches for another Sunset Sarsapirilla, popping the top off and offering it to the officer. "Evening L. T. Happy New Year." She lifts the bottle in her other hand for a long sip.

"Dance?" A look to the group assembled,"Wouldn't have a clue how. Do you dance, L. T.?"

Sparrow gets Ashur and moves to the side. She pokes Stockton, "Be ready incase we have to deal with anything unstable." She murmurs to him. It's why she'd regulated poor Ashur to a corner. She digs in her pocket and pulls out a needle with an oddly greenish serum she'd been working on and pops the top off. "All right, big guy, it's goin in your buttcheek so try not to jump or you'll bring down the rafters."

Ashur watches with some curiousity as Sparrow ruffles through her pockets and pulls out a needle. "Oh, a shot," he repeats, realizing now she did not mean a bullet. That is a relief; while the big lug is pretty resistant to pain, he's not so masochistic he'd court gunshot. "In my butt."

At that, the former Legionnaire.. ehs, really, and shrugs. He turns around, moves his cloak aside, wrapped tight around an arm, and stands there. His ass is already mostly bare, given all the mutant wears is a loincloth-- and oh, what an ass it is! You could bounce a quarter off it.

I mean, it's not pretty, being big and red, but it's certainly sculpted! An unyielding baboon ass.

Spin around and grab that hat, shuffle to the front.. Left, two, right, two, heel, toe, heel, toe. Take hopping steps back and tip the hat while kicking a boot up. Put a pep in that step! We see you, back row!!

Grapevine to the right, bow the head, spin and go to the other side. It's repeating itself now, starting over with the opening moves. Step to the right and tap a boot behind the other.. step to the left and do the same. Thre's lots of hootin'n'hollerin', and people are starting to loosen up and have more fun. Especially the drunks. Wheee!

Fern is scootin to the beat while avoiding eye contact with anyone she knows. Thank goodness it's over just a minute or so later! Ughhhh. How dare she have to line dance with lots of other people! The fun! With the song winding down and moving on to the next, Fern puts her arms across her chest again, grumbles a bit more, and boot scoots her way out of that line! She did it once.. and that's all she has to, right?

Kae will however continue dancing with the next song, specially if it's something she can well clog to! The girl grins cheerfully hands on her wide hips as she kicks and stomps to the beat of a new song once the line dance is over, of course she tries to get locals involved too. Yes, Kae is very very encourageable!! She even tries to get Fern involved in said clogging! "C'mon, join in!" She calls out cheerfully...

Eden spins around dancing and sees sparrow putting a needle in Ashur. Could this be good? She has to know. "I'll be right back!" She says quickly to Tina and runs over to the 3 in the corner. To Sparrow she says, "Is that what I think it is? What I hope it is?"

It might be the sight of Ashur's Glowing Mutant Baboon Ass that causes the calamity on the dance floor, as dancer topples into dancer. It was glowing so brightly it was distracting. Somehow though? Fern is the only one to remain standing at the end.

Everyone else is in a pile of arms and legs (Unless they had 2 successes or more!).

Auntie Wayne facepalms and yells, "PUT THAT THING AWAY YOUNG MAN! IT IS NOT HALLOWEEN!" She throws a rolling pin in Ashur's direction, "Darn Hooligans." The rolling pin rolls over to Fern's feet!

Stockton blinks the moment the baboon ass shows itself and he just shakes his head. A sigh leaves him and he steps out between Ashur, Sparrow and the rest of the crowd. Both hands grab his duster and lift up the corners to create a barrier, a block at least, "Nothin tah see 'ere," he grumbles around his cigarillo, "Move along."

An apologetic smile creeps across Cleo's face as she takes the Sarsaparilla. "You know you don't have to call me by rank, right? We're off-duty. As for whether I can dance?" She takes a swig of the sarsaparilla and sloshes it in her mouth briefly before swallowing. "...Nope. And I'm wearin' combat boots. I think I might be able to follow it, though."

She makes for the dance line, toasting Fiona as she does. She's making good on the moves; she's at least able to follow along with the others and show some spirit.

"Feel free to join in if you -" she starts to call over her shoulder to Fiona over the music when /someone/ collapses toward her like a human domino. The friendly thing to do might be to catch them, but the soldier's first instinct is to step out of the way with her hands raised. She sucks in air through her teeth as the dance line becomes more of a dance-blob.

Sparrow is a little involved in putting something in Ashur. Eden and the others really don't register, the party oh it does and on some level she's sadistically amused at people being surprised by the giant red baboon behind in the corner. Sparrow makes sure that the needle's in and depresses the plunger letting Stock get ready for damage control.

Is rolled up in the messed up dancing and well the girl ends up resting chest first on top of someone, blinking as she tries to push her self free... "Oof!" she calls out, starting to work her way out of the improvised twister pile.

Is this real life? Oh sweet bejesus. Fern sure as hell didn't want any eyes on her.. and now, well. Shit. The kid may as well run off crying and die from embarrassment! Does she? No! She takes that rolling pin and runs off. And Kae wants her to dance more!?

"Nope! I did my time!" Fern calls to Kae. "Ribs are callin'!" she adds as she stomps her way off to the table where.. hopefully some ribs are left. Wouldn't it be tragic if they were all gone?

Along her way Fern spies Tina again, and at first she looks a bit embarrassed, so she looks away and.. notices that ass. Dayum. That's a big ass. Fern twitches and looks away, rubbing her eyes hard. There are no words!

"Best hurry... I think gaps in the line are a bad thing," Tina says as Eden excuses herself. She tries to edge a bit closer to the person next to Eden's newly-formed gap in the line, to cover the departure, but falls further behind in the dance.

And then it happened. Someone behind her tripped. Or maybe Tina herself stepped on the hem of her habit; she can't tell. "What's all the noise abouIIEEEEEE?!!!!!!!" A second later she's on the floor in a heap several people deep, groaning softly and trying to stand up. Which is impossible, as someone's on top of her. "I begin to understand why I never see nuns dancing..." she murmurs. "Owwie..?"

Aidan Drake trips and falls with the rest of the non dancers he just kinda lays there once he hit the ground hopefully he's not tangled up too intimately with anybody... "This is why dancing's for the kids now."

Owl ends up buried in the pile of dancers, just a wriggling mass of arms and legs. Though eventually he manages to extract himself, once he does so, he doesn't look too interested in returning to the dance floor anytime soon, so instead he just goes off to the food area to look for alcohol.

Lee, finally getting off duty after that god aweful guard duty in the blasting sand, would step in to the place.. Juuust.. in time to see everyone fall down. He'd raise a brow, looking around, then simply shrugs and shakes his head. He'd step around the outside of the group to head for the second most important thing in a soldier's life.. the booze.

Whatever that green substance it, Ashur's veins suck it up like roots in rain; the blue lines, so stark against the red of his skin, quicken and swell. The flesh discolors, the veins turn briefly green, and the color marches through him-- his skin burns, near sizzling if touched, and his head swims as he's taken by a fever dream. The cries of Auntie aren't even noticed, and once the strange-colored veins reach his heart, Ashur goes unsteady on his feet.

The mutant teeters, the mutant totters, and he steadies himself with a pounding hand on the wall. The artery in his wrist is the color of chewed grass. He breathes heavily, clutches his head, and he growls, clenches a fist-- almost seems like he might swing, before a headache splits him open, driving the titan to his knees.

When he collects himself, the color is fading. The sickly color, that is; the rest of him is still red and blue. There's blood streaming from his lip where he bit it, matting his dark chest hair.

Working his jaw for a moment, which pops and creaks, Ashur finally grunts and sucks in a deep breath. "What putrid miracle did you make, medicus? Every part of me aches."

Well, he's articulate again, at least. Eyes a bit sharper. Not so dumb. But still a mutant.

Sparrow caps the needle and watches Ashur, hand moving to his shoulder both to make sure he doesn't fall -and- to hold him incase his sudden splitting headache has him going feral like the Horde. But he speaks, and he speaks what can be passed as English again and she takes a breath, "Well." She exhales, "Well mostly." She says to herself glancing over her shoulder and then slowly stepping aside. "No doubt. I think this final injection has made some progress but I need you to stay close to Acme for a few more days, observation and to see if the mutation changes in any way. How are things? Clearer?" She lets Stock keep folks off Ashur while she assesses him. Thats why Sheriff's are useful. "It's a mix of some old Tribal medicines that they put on rad mutations plus something that VanDoberstein and Einstein were working on, with some help from Q and Iris. They'll be thrilled.. I'll have to see if I can tweak it."

After extracting her self from 'sudden dance/twister/mess' Kae blinks and looks over at Ashur, seeing the green stuff curiously... She looks to Sparrow now curiously, and something pops into her head. The girl then hops up, straightens her clothes and makes her way over before asking "Heeey, were ya able to pull any useful antigens out of my blood? Or have you not been able to get around to that yet?" asks the girl curiously, then she looks to Ashur with a smile "Ooh yer speach patterns are better at least!" she says and claps, now genuinely happy as the girl hops on her toes lightly.

Getting a beer, Lee would step off to the side, watching the whole episode with the.. friendly(?) mutant. He'd watch for a long moment, shake his head and take a swig. "I ain't drunk enough for that.." Sighing, he'd look around, to finally spot Cleo and Fiona. Hesitating, he'd shrug and start their direction at least.

Fiona didn't fall, cause she was well clear the dance floor adding yet more tequila to her Sunset bottle. She will take a bit of note of Ashur's Hyde to Jeckal transformation. That will be too much for old lady Wayne.

Fiona takes the tequila bottle out to Cleo, pouring some of it in the Sunset bottle, if the officer is willing. "This is much safer than dancing. Better for the nerves, Cleo." Then she spots Lee, waving.

His vision's still swimming, but at least the headache's gone-- and with it, a sense of intense relief, like that feeling you get when you're incredibly congested and it finally clears. That fog over his thoughts is gone, gone, gone.

Shaking his head once more, Ashur looks down at Sparrow, and reaches to her shoulder to clasp it. "Thank you, Sparrow," he booms, giving her a -- very light! -- squeeze. "It's like waking up when you've slept too long. Everything blurs, and the color's muted, and the sounds mix together til it's just a ringing in your ears-- and then it settles into clarity." He waves the hand and straightens his back. "It's progress. I am not whole yet, but closer."

Fern has at last found ribs. Yay. The kid has several on her plate, and with that taken care of she goes to find a hay bale to sit on. She perches there and watches everything. As she watches the slight change in Ashur, the kid squints as she often does when trying to figure something out. Huh. Are they making him less strong? Noooo!

Owl is sitting in the corner drinking whiskey out of a paper cup that he keeps covering with his hand. That doesn't seem to help, though, because he's still spitting out sand every now and then. Even though the sandstorm is temporarily over. He's watching everything with a look on his face like a wet cat.

With the work of several minutes and the cooperation of the rest of the people tangled up with her, Tina finally manages to extricate herself from the remains of the line dance. She pauses to try to straighten her clothing some, only to discover some tears in her habit that definitely weren't there before. 'I should try to make a sturdier habit! Thank goodness for the heavy leather weather-cloak', she thinks, carefully drawing the heavy garment closer about her body, 'or someone might get a peek or three at skin and undergarments'. Heaven forbid party people see her nunderwear!

Only then does she notice the business with Sparrow and the curiously articulate supermutant. "Familiar..." she murmurs. "Why so familiar?"

"Of all the times to not be the owner of a camera," Cleo laments at the pile of bodies around her as she extricates herself from the mess with a few high steps and a grapevine. She even managed not to spill her drink, for the most part, and she's just downed another swig when Fiona arrives to top her bottle off.

"Gracias, Fio," the lieutenant says as the bottle's filled. "I thought that was going pretty smooth till everyone got riled up. I missed what all the fuss was about. I guess that's one way to help people get to know each other better, at least," she comments on the newfound degree of physical intimacy most of the dancers are experiencing with each other. When she notices Lee's approach, she raises her bottle at him.

Lee chuckles, seeing Fiona's wave, he'd amble over, the beer lifted in a toast to her and Cleo both. He'd make a face. "LT? Did I piss ya off or somethin? I got tapped fer guard duty out in that crap.. I'm glad I got the armor I got.. but even still.. that sucked." He'd shake his head, taking a swig of his beer. "It's a fraggin mess. But 'bout par fer norm I guess.. At least people are havin fun despite it, eh?"

Sparrow sighs, "Happy New Years, Ashur, I'll keep working on getting you back to your wives preferred condition." She assures Ashur as she rolls her shoulders a big and smiles at the friendly and now 'more' intelligent Ashur before looking towards Stockton and the others, anyone lingering around she makes shooing gestures at. Go on, go party." Ashur is included in this. Essjay who's been trotting about after Eden finally rejoins Sparrow nosing her pockets for any of the treats she usually keeps on her.

Fern's just over there eating her ribs. She's got a lot of sauce around her mouth and on her fingers. That's the only way to eat ribs! While glancing about she notices Owl drinking something, and she calls over to him, "You weren't too bad at dancing. not really any good, but not terrible." It's a compliment.

Fiona glances as people start rising from the -mashed- pit all over the floor. A smirk as she turns her attention back to Cleo, "Square dancing always seemed more sadistic than shock drills in training. Spin your partner, fling her around, now stomp her toe and dossie doe. It is just not me. But.. you did well."

Two fisting it for all appearances, tequila bottle in her right, must spiked Sunset bottle in her left. It is the hard mixed soft drink that she sips from. When Lee approaches, sbe simply says, "Happy New Year, Lee."

Kae grins slightly and then she finally smells the ribs..... The goofy girl turns on a heel and makes her way to the buffet, she gets her self a heafty helping of bbq and other stuff, including of course cake and pie if she can, then the girl settles down and relaxes to start nibbling....

Tina keeps half an eye on the supermutant and his companion, but saves her energy for looking for a drink and a place to sit. By chance she finds the latter next to Fern. "I think I've had enough of dancing until next year," she murmurs, with a wry smile to the younger girl. "Have you ever been taught how to dance, Miss Fern? You were probably the best one on that floor," she observes, smiling at Fern. "Even if you didn't seem like you were having much fun. Mostly."

After the New Year's toast and a few drinks, owl finally begins to ready up to head back out into the storm. He continues looking around, looking slightly disappointed, as if he wasn't able to run into the person he was looking for, but he just shrugs it off and heads back out into the sand.

Seeing as Ashur didn't go crazy and the count down is upon them, Stockton quickly stalks down Sparrow to probably no one's surprise. The count down is joined and he gives a wildman whoop before snagging the blonde cowgirl and dipping her in his arms. He kisses her, like he means it, only coming up for air when lungs burn or yanno, she punches him, whichever comes first!

Fern goes back to watching people, and when the countdown happens and people start smooching she looks away to find something cool to watch. And she stuffs her mouth with more rib meat. Yum. She spies Tina nearby, and she grins. "No.. It's just kinda easy, I guess. It's not that hard to do the same dance moves over and over." She snorts, chewing another bite of food.

Nodding towards other people, Fern wonders, "Why do people kiss at midnight? What's that about? Who started that tradition?" she wonders, asking Tine 'cause Tina is smart.

Sparrow wasn't really expecting the kiss to be fair. She was busy and about to hurry off to keep herself busy with something else. Checking the food or making sure no one was outside incase the storm flared up again. When Stock catches her hand, then arm and whoops she knows what's coming and she's squirming like a scared cat until Essjay ever so helpfully is in her way. There's no escaping and so Sparrow is kissed in front of people! Scandalous. Mind you it's not until about thirty seconds in before she's inclined to push Stock off her by the face and turn six different shades of red.

Kae grins slightly and makes her way around the festivities, the girl enjoying her food, and really, she's earned it, after having danced, had to get her self untangled from a bunch of people, then dancing more! Soon enough she's near Fern and Tina where she pauses and smiles a bit around taking a bite of rib.

Lee lifts his beer in greeting to Fiona, flashing a grin to her and Cleo both. "Happy new year, Fiona, Cleo. Sorry.. bit a too much of the grumpy grunt I'm guessin." He'd eye the dance floor and shakes his head. "still ain't drunk enough fer that though.."

"Honestly, the storm might as well've been brahmin crap for all the mess it's making of the rotations," Cleo says to Lee as she swirls her bottle in her hand to let the tequila mix in. "People've been reporting back from patrol late or not at all. Don't worry, you haven't done anything to piss me off yet."

To Fiona, she smirks back. "Sounds like you could be a caller if you didn't wanna be a dancer," she suggests. "Don't give me ideas for training exercises, though. Might be good for discipline..."

And then the countdown is going. She looks toward the group at large with a smile and lets out a cheer when the countdown finishes... and then suddenly finds some dirt she'd forgotten about in her pipes, judging by the sudden coughing fit into her sleeve when the smooching starts.

Tina accepts a cup of something random and alcoholic for her new year's toast, even if it's just a bit too late, and takes a sip toward the new year. Just in time to see Stockton kiss Sparrow, and to note that one of them seems less thrilled about it than the other. Still, she can't help a giggle, especially at the significant pause between the kiss and the pushoff. "I'm not sure that was wholly consensual," she murmurs, shaking her head at the man's antics. "But at least she didn't hit him or something."

She glances over at Fern and shrugs. "I'm not quite sure... perhaps it's something to do with being happy to be alive at the end of another year. Or trying to move a relationship along into the next year. If it's one thing that my vocation has taught me, it's that people are strange creatures. Even nuns." Noticing Kaelyn's approach, she smiles up at her. "Having fun, Miss Kaelyn?" she asks warmly. "Hope the line dance contest didn't hurt too much. The ending was quite a showstopper."

Stockton comes up from being pushed off and is just grinning like a toothsome idjit. Of course the blushing Sparrow beside him doesn't help matters, that just makes him more amused. So Scandalous! Seein' as he's partaken in that festivity, he gives Sparrow's arm a reassuring touch before he goes to find drinks. Because she'll probably want one after that. He's a bad man that Sheriff. It's a damn good thing he didn't hear Tina or he'd be snickering all the way to fetching a pair of glasses for toasting and drinking. He'll ensure the cowgirl enjoys herself, embarassment and all.

Fern first nods to Tina before she's looking at Kat, reaching to take the cup.. until she hears what's inside. The jar of mead didn't end well at all! What's this!? Fern sniffs at the champagne, then takes a slow sip. She wrinkles her nose. "People sure are odd, yeah.. Who likes this stuff!?" She makes a face and puts the cup aside, shaking it off as she makes a little gagging sound. "Yuck."

Fern snorts, then grins as she looks around again, and to Kat she wonders, "So, what happens if you don't kiss someone? Is it bad luck? Like breaking a mirror or seeing a black cat cross your path? I heard that's bad luck. I knew a guy that died after walking under a ladder," she randomly notes before seeing Kae and waving to her. "Hey," she says, smiling.

Sparrow sighs and after a moment of looking around she hurries off to find something to drink. Thankfully Stockton's already working on that for both of them and so she moves over to him to take a drink and look around with a breath and smirks. "Ass." Essjay brays helpfully.

"I wouldn't worry much, they probably dug in or headed for the closest cover. This break will have some of them checking in." A grin at Lee, "Cover your ears Private." Fiona says and shifts her shoulder, "They are well trained, and even priv-its can think for themselves." A pause to look at Lee and motion that he can listen again. "It is just communication. We'll round 'em up when the storm passes. Sending folks on unfamiliar curcuits in this visibility will lose three to one." The corporal states with a confidience, lifting up another sip from her mixed drink. "Happy New Year." A look up to the cloudy south. "I best get home before the storm restarts so I can kiss my guy."

Kae ummms and laughs before she shrugs "I ended up with my boobs on someone's head I think...." she says and shrugs, having not really paid attention. Kae shrugs now and grins a bit "But I'm good, the food's good, the cake's good I'm probably gonna end up with a massive sugar high before the end of the day. If I could get drunk I would.. I just manage a good buzz every now and then before my stomach gets full." She adds and shrugs... "I think that latter part's CORA's fault.."

Lee chuckles quietly and would dutifully cover his ears at Fiona's motion, snickering as he'd drop his hands after she said he could. Hmm.. maybe it wasn't a good cover? Either way, he'd lift that bottle to Fiona. "Prolly. Makes sense ta me anyways.. and I'll be happy ta help with the clean up after it blows over.." He'd glance towards the looming storm and sighs. "I should get ta the barracks.. beh. Ain't drunk enough fer dealin with them either.. oh well.."

"Hope nobody fell on you, at least," Tina observes softly, wincing in sympathy for Kae's landing. "Sounds like you're having fun. Just don't get sick eating too much cake, okay?" She joins Fern in looking to Kat. "I've wondered about that myself, Miss Katherine. Is it bad luck not to kiss someone at New Year's? Because if it is, I could be in terrible trouble for years without New Year's kisses..." she asks, a bit worriedly.

Stockton downs his drink quickly and sets the glass on the nearest table, coming back in time to catch Sparrow's remark and he just grunts, "Essjay's a good ass, yes," he tries to divert with a bit of a scowling squint at the blonde. Looking back out at the others, he gives a hat tip towards Fiona as she heads out, "Tell Manny we said 'ello," he tells her before glancing around. Of course Tina and Kitty draw his attention that aways for a moment. Curious!

Fern's gaze shifts to Tina and back. All this talk of kissing is starting to make the girl look like she's cringing. She asked, though! Maybe she regrets it. She tries to find something else to focus on, but.. She gets distracted by something. Fern clears her throat and looks at Tina. LOOKS. Yes, Tina. She's trying to get your attention! She stares at Tina.. It's intense!

Kae notices Fern staring at Tina, she grins and -stares- at Fern now, the girl's crimson eyes seeming to glow as she fixes them on the younger girl... CORA pipes in, in the middle of Kae's staring fest... "Yer gonna give the poor girl the heeby jeebies..." Kae stops staring, and blinks at CORA... "Ruin the fun why don'tcha..." She says with a slight grin.

Lee seems to catch Fern's gaze before Tina does. He'd finish his beer, take a whiskey for the new years and drop it like it's hot. Frowning, he'd suddenly hollar in what would be a perfect sergant at arm's equivilent. "YO TINA! FERN'S TRYIN TA GET YER ATTENTION!!"

Cleo nods slightly at Fiona's assessment of the situation. She finally seems to come out of her coughing fit when the kissing frenzy's died down. "Agreed. It's better if they do hunker down and end up late than if they keep pushing through the sand and end up in Mexico. Just explaining to Lee how he might've ended up on guard duty in a sandnado outside of my personal sense of malevolence." She offers Lee a smile, then raises her bottle at both her fellow militia members. "You two have a happy New Year, and have fun, Fio."

"Nah, just tradition. Otherwise, we'd have a lot of random people kissing random people. It's mostly just for couples." Katherine replied to Tina, wondering if the El Dorado nuns were forbidden from marrying or anything crazy? She wasn't too up on religious vows.

"I see. Thank you for indulging me, Miss Katherine." Tina glances from Kat to Fern as the younger girl clears her throat. She tries to follow her gaze... only to have her concentration shattered by Lee's shout. Wincing and halfway covering her ears instinctively, she glances at the soldier uncertainly. "Um, thank you?" she says, semi-sarcastically.

Her gaze moves to Kae, noting her staring at Fern, and then back to Fern. Her eyes track Fern's gaze... and then she blushes, drawing her cloak around her with greater care. "Thank you," she says to Fern, in a low voice that is very nearly a whisper.

Fiona nods, "Oh of course." She then turns to Lee, "Malice would be assigning you patrol south Roswell in this mess." The woman says and glances towards Stockton, "Of course, and Happy New Year to you too, Sheriff." She calls, but then turns back to the militia gaggle, "Happy New Year." With that she turns and heads away, grabbing another Sunset and some food for her starving hubby that married a Caine woman. Passing by Katherine, she says, "The Garden, that's where we'll do it. Let me know when you can talk. Happy New Year, K. C." Then gone.

The shout startles Fern and makes her jump slightly where she sits. She snaps to sitting up straighter, and her eyes dart to Kae.. who DOES look creepy at the moment. Her eyes widen as she stares and.. hoyl shit. This is odd. Back to Tina! She blinks several times as she looks at Tina, and she puts on a quick grin. "No problem! Figured a uh.. nun and all.. and that.." She clears her throat softly and starts to grin, trying not to giggle. Fern looks off around the barn. "Way to ring in the new year, eh?" she murmurs to Tina, now hiding her grin behind another rib.

Drinking and spacing out, that's where Sparrow's been. Drinking and spacing out and she snaps back to reality for a moment and takes a breath. She looks around waving, belatedly, after Fiona before joining Stockton and looking wide eyed at the group with a somewhat sheepish expression.

Lee would nudge Cleo lightly with an arm. "Careful LT. Mebbe have ta give ya mouth ta mouth ta help ya with that coughin ya be doin, eh?" He'd flash a grin her way, chuckle and head off. Grabbing two more drinks to knock back both before waving to the room in general. "Oi. Ya'll be good. Dun get lost in the storm comin, yah? Happy New Years all ya'll!"

Stockton chuckles a bit as Sparrow rejoins him, he even drapes an arm around her for a moment to whisper in her ear. After that she's let go and he downs the last of his booze before losing the glass somewhere. "Hell of a New Years as always," he says to no one in particular. A glance back to Sparrow, "Lemme know when yer ready to go."

Sparrow huffs at Stockton's whisper and she elbows him and lifts a shoulder, "Aint about people seein', ya Lug." She grumps softly but smiles before looking towards the others and waves at folks. Smiling to Tina and Fern she nods at him, "Better every year. Hopefully folks are careful out there in this sandstorm.

Tina returns Fern's grin, impulsively giving her a quick one-armed hug. "Not the word I would use, but only because I'm a nun," she says impishly. "A wonderful New Year's party, Miss Katherine. Thank you for continuing the tradition. I always regret having to leave. Which I may need to do soon, before the storm returns." A look of concern is given to Fern. "Unless it would be better that I remain, to ensure Miss Fern gets home safely."

Cleo clears her throat in response to Lee's threat. It was just dust in her throat, clearly! Her face might just be a bit redder for being called out, though it could be from all the coughing. The Sarsatequila helps to sort whatever the issue is, decidedly, so she knocks back a long swallow of it. She makes a move to where her coat and hat are hung so that she can don both; it's getting late, and she'll need to find some time to rest with everything in a bit of chaos. "Hey, Sheriff. Who'm I supposed to report stolen kisses to when the law's the one responsible?" she calls over to Stockton and Sparrow with a grin as she's sliding into her coat.

"Naw.. I'm about to go, too.. I can walk with you, make sure the sandstorm doesn't do more damage.." Fern says, snickering. She puts her plate aside and licks her fingers clean, wipes her mouth, then hops off the bale of hay. Turning to Kat and Kae she says, "See you both later.. Happy new year!" She grins at them, then starts to head out, going slow in case Tina should follow.

Stockton just grins like the Lug that he is at Sparrow, she's taking it in stride as it is so he doesn't push his luck. Instead he's glancing up at Cleo and blinking dumbly once and then twice. "Oh, you wanted to Sparrow? By all means." He gestures freely that she may.

"Dontcha worry he might end up in Shackles still tonight." She smiles at Cleo, "And I wouldn't kiss me, you don't know where I've been. Thanks for comin'." She says quietly to Cleo and others as she watches them pass by offering waves. This is where she sleeps.. also most of the Drake farm is outfitted for sleeping folks who partied too hard.

Tina follows Fern, anxious not to keep her waiting. "Happy New Year, everyone! See you in church! Some of you, anyway," she calls over her shoulder, waving, then moving to catch up with the younger girl. "I'd be grateful for your escort, Miss Fern. Please, lead on," she adds as she draws up her hood, goggles, and facewrap. In spite of her suggestion, she walks beside Fern rather than behind her, suggesting that she may be doing as much of the leading as her companion.

Kae glances around curiously....As she gets closer to Sparrow she grins a bit at catching the last little bit of what she said... "I won't kiss ya, you don't have to worry about it!" She says cheerfully...

Cleo gets a slightly puzzled look in her eye at Stockton's invitation and Sparrow's recommendation. She'd meant Stockton as the law; did they consider her to be the law? "Oh, no, I won't be kissin' anyone. Got a case of the dustlung, wouldn't want it to catch," she explains as she settles her hat on her head and nudges the door open with her elbow so that she can edge out of it. "Stay safe, folks!"

Stockton just tips his hat to those leaving and gives Sparrow a quick squeeze before he saunters back to the food tables. Likely trailed after by S.J. The two of them will make sure the clean up crew doesn't have to do much!